CuH and CuBr absorption measurements and consequences on copper seeding ina Cu-HBr laser medium

Molecular absorption measurements have been made across the tube radius and with respect to time in a Cu-HBr laser media. CuBr and CuH relative densit ies in their fundamental levels are found from spectra around 428 and 434 n m. CuBr density decreases from the wall to zero absorption on the axis with a steep gradient at 15 mm from the axis. Inversely, CuH is present on the axis and its absorption decreases toward the wall. Dissociation of the CuH molecules in different excited levels can explain the temporal and radial i ncrease of the copper ground-state density in our operating conditions in a Cu-HBr laser. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.